One Week

7 days to go! Wow. I know I've been waiting for so long but now that it is here I'm wondering how it has sneaked up on me. We got an update from Anido, our Bulgarian agency, today saying that they have Sofie's new  birth certificate and are taking her, on Monday, to Sofia to get photographed for her Visa and apply for her passport! They also gave us a bit more clarity of what to expect when we get to Bulgaria. The director of the orphanage is insisting we spend three days there now instead of the two days that was originally told to us. I'm okay with three days if that is what it takes, I just wish it would stop changing. If they think Sofie is going to be any less traumatized from leaving with us the third day instead of the second day they are severely mistaken. They also told us we won't be going to the orphanage until the Monday. We get in to Sofia early Sunday morning. I've requested we go on the Sunday but we are waiting to hear.

I'm so emotional today. I can't even begin to properly explain what I am feeling. I'm so excited to meet Sofie. I can't wait. My arms are literally aching to hold her and comfort her. The thought of her traveling from the orphanage to Sofia, an hour and a half each way, with out me rips me apart. She may have never been out of the orphanage! Then as I was laying down for a short nap this afternoon and thought of saying goodbye to Livi at the airport. I started crying. Not just tears down my cheeks but heaving sobs and snot on my pillow crying. I know she is going to be well cared for and even have a lot of fun with out us, but I have only ever been away from her for 36 hours at one time and she was sleeping for 24 of those hours. It may be the hardest thing I have ever done to date. I don't want to freak her out either, so I can't start sobbing in front of her at the airport. I have no idea how I'm going to accomplish that.

I think I'm pretty prepared though. I have just a few more things to do. The orphanage clothes, gifts and candies are packed. We got a big box of Purdy's for the orphanage staff and a smaller box of maple leaf chocolate and maple truffles for Anido. For the director we got a small bottle of BC wine and some maple syrup. For the kids we got a ton of candy, yummy crackers and some chocolate dipped granola bars. I hope it all makes it safely to Bulgaria.

The next few days should be a little less busy than this week but with less distractions I'm likely to become more anxious. I've already been noticing I'm getting shorter with Livi. Please pray for patience and peace for me. I don't do good in these uncontrollable circumstances.